


Distance

by fits_in_frames



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-06-08
Updated: 2004-06-08
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1549307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fits_in_frames/pseuds/fits_in_frames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Mr. Frodo, sir, there's somethin' I need to show you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distance

**Author's Note:**

> _if you've never stared off into the distance_  
>  _then your life is a shame_  
>  {counting crows // mrs. potter's lullaby}  
> 

Frodo sat up for what may have been the first time that day and rubbed his neck, almost out of habit. He heard Sam enter the smial and immediately went back to work, doing nothing in particular.

"Mr. Frodo?" Sam's voice made his heart skip a beat.

He turned. The young hobbit looked amused and concerned all at once.

"Yes, Sam?"

"Mr. Frodo, sir, there's somethin' I need to show you." He held out a dirty, calloused hand.

Frodo raised an eyebrow, looked up the length of the tanned arm before him. "Sam, I really—I'm busy." He turned back to his not-work. "You can tell me about it later."

Sam touched his shoulder and his breath caught in his throat as he turned again. "There's some things you've got to see to believe. 'Twon't take but a moment, sir." The gardener extended his hand.

This time Frodo took it, hoping that Sam would not notice his sweaty palms or darkening ears.

Sam led him outside, up and down hill and valley for a quarter-mile. His knees were stiff from sitting all day, but he didn't complain. He did begin to wonder where he was going. "Sam, are we almost there?"

"Almost, Mr. Frodo." He grinned and walked up another hill, leading Frodo by the hand. But this time, instead of going back down, he stopped at the top. "There it is." He crossed his arms satisfactorily and looked over at Frodo.

Frodo didn't understand. The combination of Sam and walking had turned his legs to water, but continued to stand there. "What is it, Sam? What did you want to show me?"

Sam made a sweeping gesture. "It."

"The sunset?" Frodo nodded towards the reddening horizon.

"No, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, exasperated, "It. The Shire. The distance. The world."

Frodo's mouth opened as if to say something, but closed before he made a fool of himself.

Sam smiled knowingly. "Y'know, there's more 'n just what you've been readin' in books, Mr. Frodo. A lot more. You _read_ about adventures, but do you know what they're talkin' about?" He turned to face his master. "You see that hill over there? The way it meets the valley so nicely? Or the way the sun kisses the earth as it sets? I bet you forgot what that was like in real life."

It was at this point that Frodo noticed Sam's hand on his shoulder. He grasped it in his own and closed his eyes. "Sam, I—"

But Sam shushed him quickly. "Just look, Mr. Frodo. No talkin', no words, for once. Just look."

Frodo opened his eyes again and gazed out at the landscape before him. It was true: he'd spent so much time reading about things that he'd nearly forgotten what they actually looked like. He also noticed that Sam's arm had moved to encircle his waist. Something wasn't right. He jerked himself out of the daydream and turned to face him. "Sam, I hardly think that's proper."

Sam withdrew his arm and cowered away. "'M sorry, sir. 'Twas not my place."

Frodo put his hand behind Sam's neck and started stroking lightly with his thumb. "My dear Sam, that's not what I meant." He took Sam's near hand and placed it in it's former position, and did the same with his own arm in return.

Sam blinked, confused. "Mr. Frodo? You—I—I don't—"

Now it was Frodo's turn to shush. Staring straight ahead, leaning his temple on Sam's shoulder, he tightened his hold. "There are some things you have to see to believe."


End file.
